Laura Jane Harvey Murder: Part Fourteen
Two weeks before the sentence of B.A. McComb, to be hung until dead, was to be carried out, a stay of execution was issued by the Iowa Supreme court until the case could be heard on appeal, most likely not until the December term. This information was duly passed on to Judge Trimble who passed it on to Sheriff Derby. The public however, was in the dark about this stay of execution. By mid morning of July 27, 1864, the streets of Ottumwa were quickly filling up and by noon, they were said to be crowded. It was a peaceful crowd of 2000+ men, women and children who presumably had come to see McComb hung. At noon, the time of the execution, the crowd centered around the jail and a dozen of the more vocal started shouting for the jailer to bring out the prisoner so that he may be hung. Sheriff Derby became involved and a pushing match ensued with the Sheriff knocking down several of the ringleaders and calling for more assistance. Four high ranking citizens came to Derby's aid, Senator